Apparatus for sweating and coloring tobacco



(No Model.) I I v (LP; 8: B. A. MEYER. v Apparatus for Sweating and ColoringTobaooo.

No. 237,405. Patented Feb. 8, I881.

v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES F. MEYER AND BERNARD A. MEYER, OF CINCINNATI, OIEIIO.

APPARATUS FOR SWEATINGAND COLORING TOBACCO.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 237,405, dated February 8, 1881.

Application filed April 27, 1880.

To all whom at may concern: I

Be it known that we, CHARLES F. MEYER and BERNARD A. MEYER, of Cincinnati, county of Hamilton, State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Resweatin g, Golorin g, and Flavoring Tobacco, of which the following is a specification.

Our improvement relates particularly to tobacco for the manufacture of cigars.

The objects of our improvements are to save time, labor, and handling in the resweati-ng and coloring of tobacco, to preserve all its natural flavor and substance, to bring the leaf speedily to the proper color, make it more elastic, and in better condition to be worked than is possible by the apparatus now in use, and to give it a pleasant taste and flavor. These objects we attain by the apparatus illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of our improved apparatus, a part being broken away to show the interior construction. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the sweating vessels with the cover removed, and Fig. 3 is an inverted view of the cover.

A is a sheet-metal tank, made steam-tight inthe usual way. It has an inwardly-pro- 0 jecting flange, 1), around the upper edge, and is divided into four openings by cross-bars c.

These openings are of a size to receivethe cans or vessels D, which are also of sheet metal and adapted to be closed steam-tight by flanged covers E. The vessels D have an outwardlyprojecting flange around their tops, which rests upon flange b and bars 0 when the vessels are in position in the tank.

F are lugs secured to the outside of the tank opposite the longitudinal vertical center of the cans or vessels D, and these lugs are fitted with screws 9 on top. The purpose of these lugs and screws is to 'hold the vessels D firmly "in thetank by means of bars H, passed through (No model.)

the lugs and over the top of the vessels, and to hold the tops E on the vessel during the process of sweating. A coil of steam-pipes, I, is arranged near the bottom of tank A. The pipes are perforated on the upper side, to allow steam to pass into the tank.

The process we practice is as follows: We take the tobacco in bunches, just as it comes from the box, and first case it with water in the usual way. We then sprinkle the leaves lightly with any of the well-known flavoring preparations by means of an ordinary sprinkling-pot. The tobacco is now wrapped in burlap or a similar fabric, which has been previously moistened, and placed in the vessels D, and the vessels covered. The vessels are locked into the tank A, which is partially filled with water, and steam turned on through valve J. The temperature of the tank is kept from 212 to 215. The time requiredto bring the tobacco to the proper color will be from one day to one day and a half, depending upon the amount of gum in the tobacco. The more gum thereis in the tobacco the less time is required to color it. Tobacco prepared in this way loses none of its strength or weight, preserves all its natural flavor, and the leaf is much tougher and can be worked to better advantage.

We find in use the most convenient size of tank to be seven feet long by three feet wide and two feet six inches deep. I A tank of this size will hold a case of tobacco which weighs from three hundred to four hundred pounds.

We claim- The combination, substantially as specified, of tank A, pipes I, and closed vessels D, said vessels being locked steam-tight to said tank, substantially as described.

CHARLES F. MEYER. BERNARD A. MEYER. Witnesses:

AL. H. MEYER, GEO. J. M RRAY. 

